An SAP spokesman said the supervisory board had not reached a decision. "We will not comment on other people's predictions," the spokesman said on Friday.

Apotheker was made deputy CEO a year ago, when SAP's then head of software products, Shai Agassi, resigned.

Agassi had been seen as next in line to become CEO but SAP's co-founder and supervisory board chief, Hasso Plattner, said at the time Agassi had not been willing to wait after Kagermann's contract was extended a month earlier.

SAP had previously introduced changes in CEO by first having a duo at the helm. Kagermann too was initially co-CEO alongside Plattner before his switch to the supervisory board.